Guy anchor



C. R. PIEPER Sept. '18, 1934.

GUY ANCHOR Filed March 21. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .IllllHll ATTORNEY 5 Sept. 18,1934. c. R. PVIEPER GUY ANCHOR Filed March 21. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY5 Patented Sept. 18, 1934 UNITED I STATES 1,973,995 GUY Ancnon.

Chester R. Plepcr, La Crosse, Wis. v

Application Marcli 2 1,

10 Claims.

metal and provide novel spreading means which is also formed from sheet metal for holding the blades in their expanded positions.

A further object is to provide a guy anchor in which each blade may be formed from a single sheet of metal and stamped toprovide reinforcing elements and shoulders with a minimum amount of material.

A further object is to provide a novel connecting element for connecting a pair of blades together, and in which the connecting element performs a triple function in that it also provides a centering element and at the same time means upon which a tool may be impinged, as when driving the blades to their expanded positions in the earth.

A further object is to provide a spreading element for holding the blades in their expanded positions which may be formed from sheet metal and reinforced in sucha manner that the spreading element will withstand rough usage and support a maximum strain.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in .the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, in 40 which Figure 1 is a topplan view of my invention,

Figure 1A is a detail view of a portion of my device,

Figure 2 is a side elevation showing the blades 45 in their expanded positions and locked therein by means of the spreading element, V

Figure 3 is a side view showing the blades in their collapsed positions,

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 1,

1930, Serial No. 437,806

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 1,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view of one of the blades showing the connecting element in side elevation,

Figure? is a sectional detail view taken along the line 7-7 of Figure 3, a

Figure 8 is a bottom plan view of the structure shown in Figure 7, and a Figure 9 is a sectional view taken along the line 9-9 of Figure '7.

In carrying out my invention, I make use of a pair of blades 1 and 2 which are operatively connected together by means of a connecting element 3. The blades are identical in construction and the description at any time of one blade will of course include both.

The blades are formed from sheet metal which permits their being stamped to provide the necessary reinforcing construction. In addition to this, the sheet metal construction may be formed easily and quickly in that it entirely eliminates the necessity for casting. The blades are provided with raised portions 4 and 5. The blades are also depressed as at 6 for providing shoulders '7, see Figure 5.

Referring now to Figure 1, it will be noted that the blades are provided with openings 8 and cutaway portions 9. The connecting element 3 comprises in part flange portions 10 which are bent toform loops passing through the openings 8 for hingedly connecting the blades together. The connecting element is also formed from sheet metal and may therefore be stamped. The connecting element is widened slightly as at 11 and is provided with a central opening 12 through which a bar or shaft 13 may be projected. The connecting element may be provided with an annular flange 14 surrounding the opening 12, whereby the connecting element is reinforced at this point.

The bar or rod 13 may be technically defined as an anchor rod. The anchor rod is provided with a spreading element 15 which comprises a pair of disclike portions 16 and 1'7. The portion 16 is provided with a plurality of radially positioned ribs. 18 for reinforcing purposes. The section is also formed to provide a cone-shaped construction, as indicated at 19 in Figure 9. Both of the'sections 16 and 17 are provided with central. openings 20 and 21, respectively, through which the anchor rod 13 may project. The disc 17 is provided with a cone construction, as indicated at 22 and a rib 23 concentrically formed with respect to the transverse axis of the disc.

The disc16 has its edges bent around the edges of the disc 17 for securing the two elements rigidly together as disclosed in Figure 9.

A nut 24 may be disposed upon the end of the anchor rod and bears against the cone-shaped portion 22. The flange 14 may engage the tapered portion 19 when the blades are arranged in their expanded positions. It will be noted in referring to Figure 9 that the construction is such that the two discs are reinforced against collapsing in the direction of each other by reason of the cone construction. In addition to this, the disc 16 is reinforced against buckling in certain directions and the disc 23 is reinforced against buckling in directions which may in a sense be,

defined as right angular to the reinforcing elements associated with the disc 16. Thus it will be seen that the disc assembly is reinforced against buckling or bending in every direction. An important advantage in connection with this construction is the fact that the spreading element may be formed from relatively thin sheet metal and stamped into shape and assembled easily- In operation, the blades 1 and 2 are hingedly connected together through the medium of the connecting element 3. An anchor rod is then passed through the opening in the connecting member. The blades and the anchor rod are now lowered into a hole in the ground. The blades are lowered in their collapsed positions as shown in Figure 3; It will be noted that the blades are shaped so that the blades tend to spread apart when they engage the spreading element 15. The spreading element is also formed to cause a spreading movement of the blades by reason of the cone construction. The blades may be expanded and forced into the earth by striking upon the connecting element 3 by any suitable tool, preferably of bifurcated construction. The connecting element is formed from material slightly thicker than the material from which the blades are formed. When the blades have been expanded, the shoulders 7 will engage the periphery of the spreading element 15, whereby the blades will be locked against collapsing as when a pull is exerted upon the anchor rod.

It will now be seen that I have provided a guy anchor in which the blades may be formed from relatively thin sheet metal which in itself simplifles the process of manufacturing. The connecting element 8 performs a triple function in that it serves as a hinge connection for the blades, it provides a centering means for the blades in that the shoulders 7 are properly aligned when the blades are expanded so that the shoulders always engage with the periphery of the spreading element, and in addition to this, the connecting element provides means upon which a tool may be impinged for driving the blades into the earth. The spreading element is formed in comprising a pair of sheet metal discs, each of said discs hav inga cone-shaped portion provided with an open ing therethrough, said discs being in contact with each other at their outer edges and the cone portion of the discs extending in opposite directions, one of said discs having its edges bent around the other disc for holding the discs rigidly in position.

2. In a guy anchor, a spreader comprising a pair of sheet metal discs, each of said discs having a cone-shaped portion provided with an opening therethrough, said discs being in contact with each other at their outer edges and the cone portion of the discs extending in opposite directions, one of said discs having its edges bent around the other disc for holding the discs rigidlyin position, a rod extending through the central openings of the cone-shaped portions, a connecting member loosely disposed on the rod, and a pair of blades hingedly connected to said connecting member and arranged to be engaged by the spreader;

3. In a guy anchor, a spreader comprising a pair of sheet metal discs having their edges secured together, the central portions of the discs being bowed outwardly from one another and being provided with aligned openings, and a rod passing through said aligned openings and having a holding member for engaging one of said discs.

4. In aguy anchor, a spreader comprising a pair of sheet metal discs, each of said discs having strengthening ridges, the edges of the discs being in contact and the central portions of the discs having cone-shaped members extending away 108 from each other, said cone-shaped members being provided with aligned openings. and a rod extending through said openings and having thereon a supporting member for engaging one of said discs.

5; In a guy anchor, a rod, a connector member formed of sheet metal and having an opening arranged to receive the rod, said connector having, expanded portions, a pair of sheet metal blades having openings and being provided with recesses to conform with the contour of the expanded portions, the ends of the connector being looped through the openings in the blades whereby the latter are hinged to the connector, and a spreader secured 'to the rod for expanding the blades against the expanded portions of the connector.

6. In a guy anchor, an anchor rod, a spreader connected with said anchor rod, said spreader comprising sheet metal discs secured together, each of said discs having strengthening ribs, the ribs in one disc extending in different directions than the ribs of the other disc.

'7. ma guy anchor, a spreader comprising a pair of metal elements secured together as a unit, one of said elements having strengthening ribs radially aligned and the other of said discs having a circular strengthening rib, and an anchor rod associated with said spreader.

8. In an earth anchor, sheet metal blades. having widely spaced apertures at the rear corners of 1 each blade, a connector having a guide opening and lugs, the lugs passing through the apertures in said blades to hingedly connect the same, a rod extending through said guide opening and having a deflecting plate secured thereto, said blades havmg sliding contact with the deflecting plate when moved from a position substantially paralleling said rod to a position substantially at right angles thereto as the connector is forced down along the rod. V

9. man earthanchor, sheet metalhladeshaving widely spaced apertures at the rear corners of each blade, a connector having an opening and four lugs, two lugs passing through the corner p tures in each blade and shaped to hingedly connect the blades, a guide rod extending through said opening and having deflecting means connected therewith, said blades having sliding contact with the deflecting means when moved from a position substantially paralleling the guide rod to a position substantially at right angles thereto as the connector is forced down along the guide rod.

10. In an earth anchor, sheet metal blades having apertures at the rear corners or each blade, a connector having a guide opening and lugs, the lugs passing through the apertures in said blades CHESTER R. PIEPER. 

